Being victimized at the hands of her cousin wasn't Missy Elliott's only encounter with abuse. Elliott's father beat her mother, Patricia, on a regular basis. The vicious abuse resulted in black eyes, a dislocated arm, and untold amounts of psychological trauma. As time advanced, so did the violence. On one occasion, Ronnie threatened Elliott and her mother with a loaded handgun.
With the help of family members, Elliott and her mother managed to break free from their abuser. Elliott, who was 14 at the time of their escape, told The Guardian, "We left my father with a fork, a spoon, and a blanket. Ooooh, that was the scariest time of my life. I thought he would find us and he would kill us. I lived in fear for a long time." Elliott admitted that their financial dependence on Ronnie made it difficult to leave.
In honor of her mother's courageous decision, she vowed to be successful in the music industry. "I told her I would make it so I could get her out of that situation & I would make sure she'd never have to work again," the Grammy winner tweeted in 2023. "That's what really kept me going."
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
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